1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a print system and information processing apparatus and method for transmitting print data to a recording apparatus, thereby allowing the recording apparatus to print. The invention also relates to a computer-readable memory medium.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, a print system such that a personal computer (hereinafter, also abbreviated to “PC”) is used as a host and peripheral equipment such as a recording apparatus (printer) which can print or the like is connected to the PC, thereby enabling the recording apparatus to print by various application software exists.
In such a system, when a printing process is executed by the application software, print data is generated as a temporary file and, after the file is completed, the print data in the file is transmitted from the PC to the recording apparatus, thereby enabling the recording apparatus to print. In such a case, at the point when the generation of the temporary file is completed, the printing process can be released from the application software, and after that, an arbitrary operation can be executed in the application software.
The temporary file usually has a size corresponding to data in a range from tens of MB to 100 MB, although it depends on a print target. Generally, the personal computer has a hard disk drive (hereinafter, also referred to as “HDD”) which can store data of a few GB as a storage device of a large memory capacity, and the temporary file is formed in the hard disk drive. In most of the cases, therefore, a situation that the temporary file cannot be formed due to a factor such as a shortage of an available area of the hard disk drive does not occur. As examples of such a system, the systems disclosed in JP-A-5-108281, JP-A-7-325678, and JP-A-2000-168198, and the like can be mentioned.
On the other hand, in recent years, as a simplified personal computer, a small portable personal computer (hereinafter, also referred to as a hand-held personal computer or a hand-held PC) which does not have a storage device of a large memory capacity such as an HDD or the like but has only a memory (RAM) which can usually store data of a capacity of tens of MB as memory means has been developed.
In such a hand-held PC, when the user intends to connect the recording apparatus as peripheral equipment and use it, if he uses a method of forming a temporary file similar to that of the PC, the file is formed in the memory (RAM). Thus, a case where the temporary file cannot be formed due to a factor such as a shortage of the available area in the memory (RAM) often occurs.
Therefore, in a print system using such a hand-held PC, usually, the temporary file is not formed, but by sequentially transmitting a part of print data which is sent from the application software to the recording apparatus, the printing process is executed.
However, in case of the print system using the hand-held PC, usually, since the temporary file is not formed, but by sequentially transmitting a part of print data which is sent from the application software to the recording apparatus, the printing process is executed, until all of the print data is transmitted from the hand-held PC to the recording apparatus, the printing process cannot be released from the application software. Thus, it takes a very long time to release the printing process and a problem such that the application software cannot be operated for such a period of time occurs.
Even if the print is tried by the method of forming the temporary file, a case where an available area in the memory (RAM) is lacking at a stage of forming the file and the file cannot be completed often occurs. In such a case, although the file is formed halfway, the process is finished as an error at the point when the file can no longer be formed. A problem such that even though the user waits for the print for such a period of time, the print data is not printed at all but the process is finished as an error occurs.